CBS Poll: Eight in ten Americans optimistic about Obama

New York, Jan.18 (ANI): A new CBS News/New York Times poll has found that about eight and ten Americans are optimistic that President-elect Barack Obama can deliver on his campaign promises. Seventy-nine percent of Americans say they are optimistic about the next four years, according to the poll. Only 16 percent say they are pessimistic. As a comparison, between 64 and 70 percent of Americans said they were optimistic before the presidencies of Obama’’s five predecessors. Expectations for Obama are exceptionally high overall. Sixty-eight percent think he will be a very good or a good president - higher than past expectations for both President Bush in 2001 (by 25 points), and for his father, President George H.W. Bush in 1989 (by 30 points). Obama also enters the White House with the highest favorability ratings of any president in the last 30 years. Sixty percent view him favorably and only nine hold a negative opinion of him. By comparison, 44 percent had a favorable view of Bush in 2001, and 30 percent had a not favorable view. As for the country, more than eight in 10 think things in the U.S. are worse now than they were five years ago, but 61 percent think things will be better five years from now. Seven in 10 Americans believe Obama will bring real change to the way things are done in Washington, a theme of his campaign. Nearly all Democrats and almost half of Republicans agree. Seventy-one percent of Americans approve of Obama’’s cabinet appointments. (ANI)